Empossamento #4 2003

Curator: Mauro Restiffe's black and white photograph, "Empossamento #4," captures a striking architectural scene. What's your immediate impression? Editor: Stark and geometrically powerful. The contrast between the smooth, bright surfaces and the dark water is compelling, and the tiny figures give a sense of scale. Curator: Restiffe, born in 1970, often focuses on public spaces and political events. The image hints at a specific context, a moment of "empossamento"—inauguration or taking possession. Editor: Exactly. The photo's composition emphasizes the monumental architecture, which in turn conveys the power of state institutions. It's about surfaces and their relationship. Curator: I agree. The placement of bodies within this controlled environment, moving through public spaces, underscores the work done to maintain these structures. Editor: Yes, and it's so elegantly composed. Each line, each shape contributes to a unified, almost austere vision. Curator: An austerity built by the hands of workers, by the social construction of the building. Interesting. Editor: It leaves me pondering the interplay between form and authority. Curator: And I, the material processes behind the image and location. Thanks for your observations.